Akoustis Technologies, an integrated device manufacturer (IDM) of patented bulk acoustic wave (BAW) high-band RF filters, has received its first volume commercial order for 5G small cell network infrastructure filter solutions. This is a significant achievement for Akoustis as it marks the first volume order for its proprietary and patented XBAW™ RF filters targeting the fast-growing 5G infrastructure market.
The order is from a tier-1 network infrastructure customer for high-frequency BAW filters targeting a key 5G band in the sub-6 GHz, ultra-high frequency (UHF) spectrum for the Asia market. Akoustis has completed early shipments for this filter and expects to begin ramping shipments against this order in the June quarter of CY2020. In addition to this key 5G network filter, Akoustis has developed a second filter for 5G networks in Asia for this same customer and expects to receive a second volume order by the end of the June quarter.
5G small cell base stations are low power, short-range cellular transmission devices, capable of providing extended coverage for consumers, enterprises or to augment cellular coverage for 5G mobile service providers. They offer all the standard characteristics of a traditional tower base station and can handle high data throughput. 5G networks are expected to employ small cells in greater quantity than prior networks to help mitigate the shorter wavelengths associated with higher frequencies.
In a recent report, Zion Market Research estimated the global small cell 5G network market was valued at around $381 million in 2018 and is expected to reach approximately $3.5 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of approximately 37% between 2019 and 2025. Akoustis’ high frequency, high-performance XBAW process, and filters are experiencing growing interest as the Company prepares to enter production in multiple markets in calendar 2020, including 5G network infrastructure, high-band WiFi and the phased-array radar applications.
The 5G network infrastructure filters are designed and manufactured using the Company’s patented XBAW process and manufactured in the Company’s Si-MEMS Wafer Fab located in Canandaigua, NY.
Akoustis has introduced several new filters over the past twelve months including a 5.6 GHz WiFi filter a 5.2 GHz WiFi filter a 4.9 GHz band n79 filter for small cell network infrastructure, a 3.8 GHz filter and five S-Band filters for defense phased-array radar applications, a 3.6 GHz filter for the CBRS infrastructure market and band 25 downlink and uplink filters for LTE infrastructure. The Company is also developing several new filters for the sub-7 GHz bands targeting 5G mobile devices, network infrastructure, WiFi CPE and defense markets.
